The United States Surgeon General issued a new warning that stress for parents and caregivers is hitting dangerous levels.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, who spoke with ABC11, said it’s essential for parents and caregivers to invest in themselves to help combat the loneliness epidemic.
“Parents struggle with loneliness at higher levels than the general population, particularly single parents,” Murthy said.
Fayetteville dad Russ Isobe is taking those steps while caring her his daughter.
“I definitely have my ups and downs. There’s days when I’m stressed out,” he said.
Isobe said he’s mindful of the importance of keeping his own mental health in check.
“Every once in a while, I’ll take like a 10-minute break just to kind of decompress and then once I’m recharged, then I’ll go back out and spend time with her,” Isobe said.
Murthy said several factors are causing the spike in stress levels.
Some are familiar such as concerns over finances and safety.
“(Also) how to manage social media and phones for your kids, for example, and how to deal with that broader youth mental health crisis,” Murthy said.